Gate-latch.



P. H. WILSON.

GATE LATCH.

APPLIOATION HLED 11011.22, 1912.

1,061,793. Patented May13,1913.

Snoefwkoz PH Wil/Sow Stroe/nu,

PINKNEY H. WILSON, OF PILOT GROVE, MISSOURI.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13,1913.

Application filed November 22, 1912. Serial No. 732,921.

To all whom 'it may conc-era.'

Be it known that Pinamar Il'. ViLsoN, a citizen ot the YUnited States,residing at Pilot Grove, in the county ot' Cooper and State of Missouri,have invented new and useitul Improvements in Gate-Latches, ot' whichthe Yfollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in gate latches.

In carrying out the invention it is my purpose to provide a simple,cheap and thoroughly effective latch for hinged gates which willeffectively sustain the same against accidental opening, and which willalso serve as a brace or support for the gate.

`With the above recit-ed objects in view, and others which will appearas the nature ot' the invention is more fully understood, the inventionresides in the novel construction, combination, and operativearrangement ot' parts set forth in the following description, andfalling within the scope ot' the appended claim.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate and a gate postprovided with my improved latch. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view o1the latch upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional view upon theline 3-8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional View upon the line 4-4 ot Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 5-5of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates anordinary hinged gate, and 2 the latch post for the gate. The gate hassecured to one of its vertical end members an extending tongue 3, thesaid projecting portion ot' the tongue having its inner face arranged atan angle or inclined rearwardly from the lower edge toward the upperedge thereof. The latch which is secured to the post 2 embodies a lowerstationary member 4 which is secured to the post through the medium ofsuitable bolts 5. The lower member 4 is provided, adjacent, what I term,its rear edge with a vertically arranged opening through which extendsthe headed portion of an elongated bolt 6. This bolt 6 has its threadedextremity provided with a nut 7, and the said bolt passes through anopening in an upper pivoted member 8. The member 8 is sustained asuitable distance away from the member 4 through the medium of a collaror sleeve 9 which surrounds the bolt 6, and the opening in the member 8through which the bolt passes is substantially tunnel-shaped to permitof the movement olf the member 8 without intel-tering with thevertically disposed bolt. Surrounding the bolt, and exerting a tensionbetween its nut T and the upper face of the member S is a helical spring10, which forces the said member 8 tightly upon the sleeve 9. The memberS embodies an elongated rectangular element and is pivotally connectedto the post 2 as at 11. The member 4 is provided with spaced guideplates 12 and 13. These plates are adapted to engage the oppositelongitlulinal faces ot' the member S, and are disposed a suitabledistance beyond the pivot 1l. Y

The numeral 14 designates a spring which is arranged between the members6 and 8. This spring is disposed between the pivot 11 and the guideplates l2 and 13 and is adapted to exert a tension to force the outeredge of the said member 8 to an upward inclination. The outer edge ofthe said member S is rounded upon its upper face from its extreme end towhat may be termed the body ot the said member, and pivotally connectedas at 15 to the member 8, beyond the guide plates are the side members16 of a latch 17. This latch is substantially U- shaped in crosssection, and has its outer face rounded as at 18 to provide the latchwith what may be termed a flared mouth. The rounded outer edge of thelatch terminates in a vertical wall which communicates with ahorizontally arranged wall that is disposed a suitable distance awayfrom the top of the latch, and whereby the end of the latch forms asuitable hook. The horizontal lower wall of the latch, just referred to,terminates in a vertical wall, and the portion oit the latch beyond thesaid vertical wall is of a greater width than the hook portion of thelatch.

The numeral 19 designates a spring which is arranged between the memberS and the latch, and which is adapted to normally :torce its hook enddownwardly toward the rounded upper tace 2() of the member 8. The innervertical wall, heretofore referred to, and which is designated by thenumeral 21, arranged to the rear of the hooked portion of the latch,serves as an abutment for limiting the inward movement of the tongue 3when the gate is swung to a closed position. The latch above its hook isprovided with a connecting member 22, which in turn may be, andpreferably is, connected with a pair of iiexible members 23 and 24.These `flexible members are in turn connected with oppositely arrangedlongitudinally disposed operating levers 25 and 26. These levers arepivcted to suitable supports, and it will be noted that by operatingeither of the said levers the latch may be operated from either side ofthe gate.

It is, of course, to be understood that the latch is arrangedlongitudinally of the vertical post 2, and from the above description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity ofthe latch, as well as the operation thereof, will it is thought, beperfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such inventionsappert-ain without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is ln combination witha hinged gate prol vided with an extending angular tongue and a latchpost for the gate, of a latch for the latch post, said latch embodying alower fixed member provided with guide plates, a bolt extending throughthe said member, a

.member pivoted to the latch post and guided between the plates andarranged above the between the pivoted member and the latch for forcingthe hook toward therounded end of the pivoted member, the rear of thecatch beyond the hook being enlarged to provide a stop for the tongue ofthe gate,

and means connected with the latch for swinging the same upon its pivotto bring vits hooked end away from the rounded por [tion of the pivotedmember.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 'presence of Vtwowitnesses.

PNKNEY H. VVLSON. Witnesses J. S. CRUsE,

T. E. EDMONSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

